Only so many auto insurance companies exist for you to choose from when shopping for coverage. It’s possible, therefore, that one driver will get into an accident with another driver who shares the same insurance company.
Getting into a car crash where both parties have the same insurer can pose potential challenges. If you’ve gotten into an accident in California where the other driver’s insurance company is the same as yours, contact one of our attorneys to discuss your situation. In the meantime, you should also take these steps.
Step 1: Ensure Your Safety
The first step after any motor vehicle accident in Los Angeles is to protect your own safety. Pull your vehicle over in a safe location, out of the way of oncoming traffic. Use your hazard lights to prevent further collisions. Check yourself and your passengers for any injuries. Then, when it is safe to do so, exit your vehicle to check for injured victims in the other car. Get medical care immediately, even if you initially feel fine. You may have hidden injuries.
Step 2: Get a Police Report
In California, drivers legally must report car accidents to the police if they result in injuries, deaths, or $1,000 or more in property damage. Even if your car accident appears minor, you should call 911 from the scene to obtain a police report. The police report can be used as an important piece of evidence during your same-company insurance claim. When the police arrive, give them your version of events for the record.
Step 3: Gather Information
Just because you and the other driver share insurance companies does not make it any less important to collect information about the crash. Write down the name of the insurance policy number, the driver’s contact information, descriptions of both vehicles and the other driver’s license plate number. Do not admit fault, and don’t worry if the other driver won’t admit fault. The police and the insurance company will investigate the crash.
Step 4: Contact the At-Fault Driver’s Insurance Agent
Do not file your claim through your own insurance agent if you were not at fault for the accident. Even if you both have the same insurance company, you will each have separate claims adjusters responsible for handling the crash. Since California is a fault insurance state, those involved in the accident will need to go through the at-fault party’s insurance company to file a claim.
File your claim through the at-fault driver’s agent and policy number, not through your own. Next, call your insurance agent and report the accident on your end. Don’t assume you and the other driver’s claims analyst will communicate with each other or share information. Unless you both expressly give permission for the insurance company to do this, the analysts will not exchange crash information.
This part of the insurance claims process will look much the same whether you and the other driver share an insurance company or not. Complete the filing process through the at-fault driver’s agent and your own as you normally would. File your claim as soon as possible after the accident to avoid missing the insurance company’s deadline. Follow the insurer’s directions for filing a claim and submitting proof of your losses.
Step 5: Find Out About Your Deductible
One of the only ways in which an insurance claim with the same company might differ from a typical car accident case is regarding the deductible. In most cases, an insurance company will charge the claimant a deductible, or an upfront fee for repairs to the vehicle.
For example, if you have a $500 deductible, you may need to pay this before the insurance company will sign off on a $3,000 vehicle repair. The insurance company would cover the other $2,500. If you weren’t at fault for the crash, the insurer will generally reimburse you for the out-of-pocket deductible amount.
In cases where both drivers use the same insurance company, you might not need to pay a deductible. The company will generally not require a driver who was not at fault to pay for vehicle repairs out of pocket. Instead, the at-fault driver will generally need to pay this cost out of his or her pocket.
Other than this potential difference, however, claims involving two drivers with the same insurer will not look any different than other types of claims. The insurance company must still handle the claim as it would if the other party had a different insurer.
Step 6: Understand Your Coverage
Review the terms and conditions of your car insurance policy carefully to understand your coverage. This will help you understand your deductible, as well as allow you to protect your rights as a claimant.
Whether or not you were at fault for the accident, you may have coverage through the insurance company. Review your own policy for available first-party coverage, such as collision or comprehensive insurance, that may pay for your losses if you were at fault. If you were not at fault, the other driver’s policy will pay for your accident.
Step 7: Learn How to Speak to the Claims Adjuster
When a claim involves two drivers, both covered by the same company, the insurance company will typically provide each driver his or her own insurance claims adjuster. This is the individual who investigates and evaluates the claim. The adjusters will independently evaluate the claim to determine fault, then report their findings to the insurance company.
Answer the adjuster’s questions honestly, but do not give more information than is necessary. Remember, the adjuster works for the insurance company, not for you. Do not agree to give the adjuster a recorded statement. Finally, do not accept a settlement offer from an adjuster until speaking to a Los Angeles injury attorney. A lawyer can help you seek maximum compensation based on your case and the applicable insurance policy.
Step 8: Call an Experienced Accident Attorney in Los Angeles
Every car accident claim can benefit from a lawyer’s input, including cases where you share the same insurance company as the other driver. When in doubt, contact a lawyer and ask for advice.
Since you and the other driver are both insured by the same company, the carrier may face a conflict of interest. A Los Angeles accident attorney can ensure that your rights are protected and that your claim is handled fairly by the insurance company.